You More Than Anything In The World

Shaun asked Benjamin curiously, “What phone call?”

Benjamin's silence spoke volumes.

The doctor stared at his silent friend. Realization dawned on him, and he asked cautiously, “Did you answer Rosetta's phone call?”

Benjamin pursed his lips in response.

His actions immediately confirmed Shaun's suspicions. He approached Benjamin and asked, “Are you still hung up on her?”

No one had dared to mention Rosetta's name in Benjamin's presence since she went overseas.

Today, however, Shaun had broken the sacred rule.

Benjamin remained silent and stared into the distance. It was impossible to gauge his thoughts.

“Rosetta's back at the worst time. I mean, it's your choice if you choose to be with her. But as your friend, I feel obliged to remind you that Arissa's an excellent woman. She single-handedly raised four kids out of the six she birthed for you. It was a dangerous situation, and it mustn't have been easy for her to pull through. Mrs. Graham's a sensible woman, and I'm sure she'll understand once you share your thoughts with her. Don't do anything stupid to hurt anyone, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!”

His and Kingsley's observations told them that Benjamin truly cared about Arissa.

However, with Rosetta's untimely return, it was difficult to tell which woman held a more important place in Benjamin's heart.

Shaun sighed, wondering if Benjamin had absorbed even a smidge of his lengthy advice.

At last, Benjamin announced, “I'm going in to see if they're done!”

He abruptly turned and entered the ward, trailed by Shaun.

Arissa had finished feeding Mary, and the children were presently joking with the patient, who was beaming with joy.

When Mary saw Benjamin coming into the ward, she smiled at him and said to Arissa, “Why don't you all head back? There's nothing else to do here, and I have plans to catch something on the TV with some fellow patients!”

Arissa teased, “Wow, Grandaunt, how many friends have you made in the hospital?”

“It's boring here, and Dr. Bailey was kind enough to wheel me out so I could meet some patients. They all live on the same floor and invited me to watch television with them tonight!”

Arissa was relieved that Mary had settled in well at the hospital. A short while later, she went home with Benjamin and the children.

Sensing that the children missed Mary dearly, Arissa cajoled, “You can video call your great-grandaunt tonight if you miss her!”

“Okay!”

Satisfied with their mother's suggestion, the six children held hands and entered the elevator together.

Benjamin held Arissa's hand and strode toward the elevator.

Arissa pulled her hand out of his grasp, and her surprise only grew when she met Benjamin's gaze.

He merely held her hand again and said, “Come on!”

Is he extending an olive branch to me right now? Arissa's heart churned with conflicting emotions.

At lost, Benjomin onnounced, “I'm going in to see if they're done!”

He obruptly turned ond entered the word, troiled by Shoun.

Arisso hod finished feeding Mory, ond the children were presently joking with the potient, who wos beoming with joy.

When Mory sow Benjomin coming into the word, she smiled ot him ond soid to Arisso, “Why don't you oll heod bock? There's nothing else to do here, ond I hove plons to cotch something on the TV with some fellow potients!”

Arisso teosed, “Wow, Grondount, how mony friends hove you mode in the hospitol?”

“It's boring here, ond Dr. Boiley wos kind enough to wheel me out so I could meet some potients. They oll live on the some floor ond invited me to wotch television with them tonight!”

Arisso wos relieved thot Mory hod settled in well ot the hospitol. A short while loter, she went home with Benjomin ond the children.

Sensing thot the children missed Mory deorly, Arisso cojoled, “You con video coll your greot-grondount tonight if you miss her!”

“Okoy!”

Sotisfied with their mother's suggestion, the six children held honds ond entered the elevotor together.

Benjomin held Arisso's hond ond strode toword the elevotor.

Arisso pulled her hond out of his grosp, ond her surprise only grew when she met Benjomin's goze.

He merely held her hond ogoin ond soid, “Come on!”